A pair of budding Kiwi footballers are set for the experience of a lifetime with New Zealand Football and McDonald’s teaming up to help get your child onto the pitch at the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

There are two player escort packages up for grabs for a child and their guardian, offering the children a unique opportunity to walk the players onto the pitch at the Brazil vs Costa Rica match in St Petersburg, Russia. All you need to do to be in with the chance to win is upload a video or photo of your child playing football and you’re in the draw.

Anyone can enter regardless of ability, so get out there and capture your child kicking a ball around or having fun playing football with family, friends or team mates.

The two lucky winners (aged 6 – 10 years old at the time of entering) and their guardians will be flown from New Zealand to St Petersburg and will then enjoy all the perks of the exclusive McDonald’s player escort package.

The package includes the following: three nights’ accommodation (June 21 – 24), a money-can’t-buy player escort appearance at the Brazil vs Costa Rica 2018 FIFA World Cup™ match, two tickets for the Brazil vs Costa Rica match, airport meet and greet service and all ground transportation, all meals throughout the stay, player escort skills masterclass, family activities in Russia, guardian match day activity and sightseeing, and player escort uniforms and merchandise.

“We jumped at the chance to get two Kiwi kids to the 2018 FIFA World Cup™,” says Simon Kenny, head of communications at McDonald’s New Zealand.

“We’ve been supporting junior football in New Zealand for nearly 20 years and the player escort competition is a great part of what we can do to encourage over 50,000 kids and their parents to get out and enjoy kicking a football. Travelling to St Petersburg and walking out with players from one of the most iconic football nations will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

A similar competition was run for the 2014 edition of the world’s biggest football tournament with Will Richardson from Auckland earning the chance to walk out with the Argentina team in the final against Germany in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

Owain Prosser, Junior Football Development Manager for New Zealand Football, is delighted to now be able to offer the opportunity for two lucky young Kiwis to follow in Will’s footsteps.

“The chance to meet Brazilian legends such as Neymar, Philippe Coutinho and Ederson and experience the global game on the biggest stage would provide lasting memories,” he says.

“It is yet another example of how McDonald's aims to reward all that take part in junior football in New Zealand, helping us attract more children to sport and raise standards of provision.”

For more information and to apply to enter please click here